Islamabad Professor Dr. Shahid Siddiqui on Friday took over charge as Vice Chancellor Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) for the term of four years. He was appointed on the prestigious position keeping in view his meritorious services in the educational sector and outstanding academic record and educational background said a press release issued here. According to a notification issued here last night he was appointed by the President Mamnoon Hussain who is also Chancellor of the University on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and a Search Committee headed by Education Minister Mohammad Balighur Rehman. After assuming the office of vice chancellor he vowed to devote his energies for promotion of quality education in the country and providing best services to the students. He thanked the President and the Prime Minister for reposing confidence in him. He assured that he would attach top priority to merit transparency and quality excellence in running the affairs of the University. Dr. Shahid Siddiqui is a leading educationist and linguist who have been involved with Pakistani system of Education as a teacher educator researcher academic leader and a prolific writer for the last three decades. He obtained his Ph.D in English from University of Toronto Canada M.Ed. TESOL from University of Manchester UK and MA English Language and Literature from Gordon College. Dr. Siddiqui worked in prestigious universities such as the Aga Khan University (AKU) Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI) and Lahore School of Economics (LSE) on academic and administrative positions. He had also been associated with AIOU for thirteen years that enabled him to fully acquaint himself with the philosophy structure product clientele and dynamics of distance education. Dr Siddiqui has a strong track record of research publications which were published extensively in national and international journals. He is also author of various books on important topic relating to education. His forthcoming book Education Policies of Pakistan Politics Projections and Practices is being published by Oxford University Press. He has been associated with national dailies, Dawn, ‘The News’ and Pakistan Today, as a regular column writer for the Op-Ed pages. Dr Siddiqui had also represented the country in national and international conferences. Dr Siddiqui won a number of meritorious awards including British Council award (Manchester) U.S. Embassy scholarship (Vermont) Canadian Commonwealth award (Toronto) Charles Wallace award (Oxford) Social Sciences Research Council award (Sri Lanka India) and MTCP award (Malaysia).
